Vapor chamber with sintered grooved wick

Abstract

A heat pipe heat spreader is provided having a substantially L-shaped enclosure with an internal surface and a plurality of post projecting from the surface. A working fluid is disposed within the enclosure, and a grooved wick is formed on at least a portion of the internal surface. The grooved wick includes a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between the at least two lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters. A method for making a grooved heat pipe wick on an inside surface of a heat pipe container a layer of sintered powder between adjacent grooves that comprises no more than about six average particle diameters.

1. A heat pipe heat spreader comprising:
 an enclosure having an internal surface and a plurality of post projecting from said internal surface wherein said posts are (i) arranged in a selected pattern that is more dense in one portion of said internal surface, and (ii) coated with a sintered wick powder; 
 a working fluid disposed within said enclosure; and  
 a grooved wick disposed on at least a portion of said internal surface and including a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter, said grooved wick including at least two spaced-apart lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at east two spaced-apart lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters.  
 
 
     
     
       2. A heat pipe according to  claim 1  wherein said said particle layer comprises a thickness that is less than about three average particle diameters. 
     
     
       3. A heat pipe according to  claim 1  wherein said particles are formed substantially of copper. 
     
     
       4. A heat pipe according to  1  wherein six average particle diameters is within a range from about 0.005 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters.